


When You’re a Boy

by darling_idnever



Category: Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Genre: Canon Era, Canon Universe, Just as a treat, Some canon lines have been reworked or replaced, World War II, if you squint there’s some Finkeldorf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:35:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28357101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darling_idnever/pseuds/darling_idnever
Summary: When you’re a boy, the world is your oyster- Especially in 1940s Germany.-Inspired by David Bowie’s song “Boys Keep Swinging.”
Relationships: Freddy Finkel/Captain Klenzendorf, Jojo Betzler & Captain Klenzendorf, Jojo Betzler & Elsa Korr, Jojo Betzler & Freddy Finkel, Jojo Betzler & Rosie Betzler, Jojo Betzler & Yorki
Kudos: 10





	When You’re a Boy

**Author's Note:**

> Some small notes:  
> The *Reich Jugendamt* is a Welfare office for the Hitler-Jugend program.  
> A *stielhandgranate* is a stick hand grenade.
> 
> I used the movie script for referencing quotes but they’re still a little different from the film so it’s not completely accurate.

[Boys Keep Swinging - Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KcOs70dZAw)

* * *

**When You're a Boy**

“Johannes, I still love you,” Rosie said as she walked her son to the Reich Jugendamt. “You’re still a very handsome boy.”

Jojo side-eyed his mother as he rolled his lips together, still feeling insecure about his appearance.

“You know, heaven loves you too,” Rosie continued. “Just look at how the sky has opened up- The sun is shining! It’s welcoming you, Johannes.”

Jojo let his eyes wander around his surroundings, taking in the brightly colored buildings, the blue sky, and the people he passed. He didn’t understand why his mama was so enamored with the simplest of things.

**Heaven loves ya**

**The clouds part for ya**

As Jojo walked around town, hanging up propaganda, he thumbed through the thin posters between his fingers. He stopped when he saw one that displayed three boys, three or four years older than him, that were donning red armbands. They were standing beneath the large words of,  _ ‘Enlist today!’  _ and the smaller words of  _ ‘Fight for your country.” _ The poster reminded him of the words his teacher spoke only months earlier.

“As young men in our Führer’s country, you will be the ones that will rule Germany when the war is over,” His teacher explained.

Jojo smiled and looked over to Yorki, who was already looking at him- Equally as excited.

“What about girls?” A female classmate asked.

“Ah, of course,” The teacher half-heartedly replied. “The Führer counts on us women to keep the boys well fed and to work hard at home.”

Later at lunch, Jojo was itching to discuss the lesson’s events.

_ “Nothing _ will stop us when Germany rules the world!” Jojo triumphantly exclaimed before stuffing the corner of his sandwich into his mouth. 

“I know!” Yorki replied with a wide grin on his face. “It must suck being a girl- Having to cook and make babies.”

Jojo laughed, mouth still full of food, and extended his hand for his friend to shake.

“Here’s to being boys!”

Yorki accepted it and shook it.

“To being boys!”

**Nothing stands in your way**

**When you're a boy**

Jojo was sitting across from Elsa, the girl who was now residing in the walls of his sister’s room, as she drew something for his book. As he impatiently waited, he took in the girl’s appearance and outfit of the day. His brow furrowed when he realized that her pants were too short and her shirt was too big.

“Why don’t your clothes fit you?” Jojo asked.

Elsa looked up at him, perplexed and possibly a bit irritated.

“They weren’t originally mine,” She simply replied.

“Then why are you wearing them?” Jojo asked, confused.

“Because I have no other options,” Elsa replied as she stood from her sitting position against the wall.

She took a moment to take a final look at her drawing before walking over and handing it to the young boy. Jojo accepted it and looked down to see a drawing of a young girl reading a book with symbols on it that he didn’t understand.

**Clothes always fit ya**

**Life is a pop of the cherry**

**When you're a boy**

Jojo awkwardly stood there as Captain K softly spoke to Sub-Officer Finkel after yelling about shepherds. When the two men parted, the captain’s demeanor immediately changed.

“Hiya, kid,” Klenzendorf greeted with a smile.

“Hi, Captain K,” Jojo greeted.

“How can I help you today?” The captain asked before placing a hand on Jojo’s shoulder. “Walk with me.”

After Jojo asked about Jews and explained his book, much to the adults of the Reich Jugendamt’s amusement, Klenzendorf urged Jojo to join him at his desk.

“As part of our preparations for the invasion I’m re-designing my uniform,” The captain said before rummaging through a pile of papers.

Jojo took this moment to take some colored pencils, thinking of Elsa as he did so.

“Ah, here we go,” Klenzendorf said before proudly displaying a drawing. “Note, the feathers for aerodynamics, the sparkly color to dazzle the enemy, the boots are purely decorative.”

Jojo leaned a bit closer to see better.

“And this is a Gatling gun mounted with a radio which emits annoying music to dishearten the enemy,” Klenzendorf suddenly covered the drawing with his hand. “This is all copyrighted by the way.”

“That means you can’t copy it,” Finkel explained as he handed the captain a drink.

“So don’t get any ideas, kid,” Klenzendorf added.

Jojo nodded and peeked at the drawing that laid beneath the captain’s fingers.

“Will I get to design my own uniform when I’m in the army?” He asked.

“Of course,” Klenzendorf chuckled before taking a sip from his drink and turning to the Sub-Officer. “Thank you, Freddy.”

Jojo watched as Finkel squeezed Klenzendorf’s shoulder before the two men shared a fond look and smile. That moment made the young boy think. Were friends supposed to look at one another like that? If so, why had he and Yorki never looked at one another like that?

**When you're a boy**

**You can wear a uniform**

**When you're a boy**

**Other boys check you out**

As Elsa took a well-deserved soak in the bathtub, Jojo protectively stood outside in the hallway. He listened to the soft and comforting hums that the teenage girl was making and rolled his lips together. Lately, he was feeling a certain way when around the girl and didn’t know why. But, when he quickly peeked into his mother’s bedroom as Elsa admired a robe, he felt his face heat up when he realized that he felt butterflies in his tummy. Just as his mama described.

**You get a girl**

**These are your favorite things**

After his mama died, Jojo realized that he needed to take charge and make sure he and Elsa were well taken care of. So, he set out into the cool February air with a cart and a satchel. He first meekly asked neighbors for scraps before wandering into alleyways and rummaging through trash bins. By the end of the afternoon, he deemed the amount of food he had as just enough and headed back home.

Back in the kitchen as Elsa cut old vegetables, Jojo pulled out a stool from the broom closet and placed it in front of the stove, just as his mama always did for him when they cooked together. When facing the knobs and dials on the stove's metal console, he squinted at the small numbers before flicking the correct knob on.

**When you're a boy**

**Boys**

**Boys**

**Boys keep swinging**

**Boys always work it out**

As panic ensued about the imminent invasion by the Russians and Americans, the adults at the Reich Jugendamt were trying to keep the children busy and distracted with easy but occupying tasks.

When Jojo finished sorting propaganda fliers from how much he liked them to how little he liked them, he walked up to Fräulein Rahm, who was obviously very flustered, her face a bright red.

“Fräulein Rahm?” He timidly asked.

The woman jumped and turned around.

“What is it, Johannes?” 

“I finished sorting the posters.”

“Oh, well go do it again- Maybe this time do it differently,” She suggested.

“I’ve already done it four times,” Jojo confessed as he rubbed the ball of his foot into the floor.

Rahm tiredly sighed and looked around, her face lighting up a bit when she spotted something on her desk. She quickly made her way over, scooped it up, and went back to the young boy. She handed over the bright-red fabric with a forced smile.

“Go hang this up outside,” She instructed.

“But I don’t know-”

“Ask one of the older boys!” Rahm interrupted as she hurried off.

Jojo nodded to himself and looked down to the flag in his hands before going to ask for help.

**Uncage the colors**

**Unfurl the flag**

All Jojo could hear was shouting and the sound of rapid gunfire. It completely unnerved him as he and Yorki ran towards the other boys and Fräulein Rahm- Who was strapping a stielhandgranate onto the back of one of the clones.

“Go find a Russian or an American and give them a big hug!” The woman loudly instructed before pulling the grenade’s pin. 

Jojo and Yorki watched on in horror as the young boy ran off and around the corner. Neither had much time to process what was happening before the blond woman turned to them.

“Yorki! It’s your lucky day, you’ve been promoted! Take a gun and go kill anyone who looks different to us!” She exclaimed before urging Yorki out towards the chaos.

Paralyzed with fear, Jojo stood still as he watched his best friend disappear into the fog of men, women, and children fighting.

“Jojo! Here, put on a jacket so they know not to shoot you!” Fräulein Rahm exclaimed before quickly handing the young boy a jacket, which was just pulled off of a dead body. “Grab a gun, too.”

Fräulein Rahm then scooped up her gun and headed off, yelling and proclaiming her loyalty to the Führer and Germany.

**Luck just kissed you hello**

**When you're a boy**

**They'll never clone ya**

**You're always first on the line**

**When you're a boy**

After being thrown into the courtyard by a Russian soldier, Jojo soon found comfort next to Captain K. He quietly told him that Fräulein Rahm was dead which was returned with the captain’s solemn news that his sub-officer was gone, too. The captain then offered some kind words about Jojo’s mama and how brave and good of a person she was. 

“You’re a good kid,” The captain reassured as he placed his hands on Jojo’s shoulders. “Now go home and look after that sister of yours. She needs you.”

It was all a whirlwind for Jojo after that. The captain had ripped the jacket off of him and pushed him away, spitting at him and calling him a Jew as a foreign soldier threatened him with his gun. When Jojo was removed from the courtyard, he called out for the captain but was only met with the sound of a firing squad. Startled, he scrambled away and wandered the rubble-filled streets of Falkenheim.

*

When he got back home, now full of fear that Elsa would be leaving him now that Germany had lost, he paused for a moment. If Elsa did stay, he would have to take care of her, he would have to be the man of the house until his father came home from Italy. 

He didn’t know if he was ready for that but still marched up the stairs.

**When you're a boy**

**You can buy a home of your own**

**When you're a boy**

**Learn to drive and everything**

**You'll get your share**

**When you're a boy**

**Boys**

**Boys**

**Boys keep swinging**

“Are you sure about this plan?” Elsa asked as she pulled on her jacket, a worried look on her pale complexion.

“I’m sure, it’s  _ practically  _ foolproof,” Jojo replied with a knowing smile.

Elsa nodded and Jojo approached her. He went to reach for the doorknob but noticed that one of Elsa’s shoes was untied. He knelt down and quickly tied it before standing back up and going to the door.

“You ready?” He asked with a smile.

Elsa nodded.

“Yeah.”

Elsa fidgeted as Jojo unlocked the door.

“Jojo,” She began. “Is it dangerous out there?”

“Extremely.” The young boy playfully replied with a perfect wink, now having mastered it.

He opened the door with gusto, just like his mama used to, and gestured to the outside world as light poured into the home.

Jojo watched as Elsa took careful steps away from the house, taking in the fresh air, the air in which she hadn’t had the luxury to breathe for months. He smiled when he saw her reaction to the American flag proudly hanging from a car that drove by.

“We made it!” Jojo softly exclaimed.

Elsa turned to Jojo and stared at him for a moment before slapping him. Jojo nodded and softly laughed.

“I guess I probably deserved that,” He paused. “So what do we do now?”

Elsa shrugged as Jojo looked around a bit. Before he knew it, Elsa began to slowly and slightly sway, as if she was about to dance. Jojo smiled and joined her, dancing to the sound of their victory.

**_Boys always work it out._ **

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed :) I linked the music video up top, which I recommend checking out. David Bowie is dressed in three different drag looks and it's just all-around a fun time. :)


End file.
